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n. 1. The condition of being temporarily set aside; suspension: held the plan in abeyance. 2. Law A condition of undetermined ownership, as of an interest in an estate that has not yet vested. [Anglo-Norman, variant of Old French abeance, desire, from abaer, to gape at : a-, at (from Latin ad-; see AD-) + baer, to gape; see BAY2.] a·beyant adj. |
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